The angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth in
Ophrah that belonged to Joash the
Abiezrite. While his son Gideon was beating out wheat
in the wine press to save it from the
Midianites, the angel of the LORD appeared to him and
said, "The LORD is with you, O
champion!" Gideon said to him, "My Lord, if the LORD is
with us, why has all this happened to
us? Where are his wondrous deeds of which our
fathers told us when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring
us up from Egypt?'

For now the LORD has abandoned us and has delivered us into the power of Midian." The LORD turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you
have and save Israel from the power of
Midian. It is I who send you." But Gideon answered him, "Please, my lord, how can I save
Israel? My family is the lowliest in
Manasseh, and I am the most insignificant in my
father's house." "I shall be with you," the LORD said
to him, "and you will cut down Midian to the last
man." Gideon answered him, "If I find favor with
you, give me a sign that you are speaking with
me. Do not depart from here, I pray you, until I come
back to you and bring out my offering and set it before
you." He answered, "I will await your
return."

So Gideon went off and prepared a kid and a measure
of flour in the form of unleavened
cakes. Putting the meat in a basket and the broth in a
pot, he brought them out to him under the
terebinth and presented them. The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and unleavened cakes and lay them on
this rock; then pour out the broth." When he had done
so, the angel of the LORD stretched out the tip of the
staff he held, and touched the meat and unleavened
cakes.

Thereupon a fire came up from the rock that consumed the meat and unleavened cakes, and the angel of the LORD disappeared from sight. Gideon, now aware that it had been the angel of the
LORD, said, "Alas, Lord GOD, that I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!" The LORD answered him, "Be
calm, do not fear. You shall not die." So Gideon built
there an altar to the LORD and called it
Yahweh-shalom.

Psalm Ps 85: 9. 11-12.
13-14.

R. (see 9b) The Lord speaks of peace to his people.

I will hear what God proclaims;

the LORD–for he proclaims
peace

To his people, and to his faithful ones,

and to those who put in him their
hope.

R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.

Kindness and truth shall meet;

justice and peace shall
kiss.

Truth shall spring out of the earth,

and justice shall look down from heaven.

R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.

The LORD
himself will give his benefits;

our land shall yield its increase.

Justice shall walk before
him,

and salvation, along the way of his steps.

R. The Lord speaks of peace to
his people.

Gospel Mt 19: 23-30.

Jesus said to his disciples: "Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is
rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is
easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For men this is
impossible, but for God all things are
possible." Then Peter said to him in
reply, "We have given up everything and followed
you. What will there be for us?"

Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times
more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be
first."

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